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President Donald Trump has expressed confidence in the ongoing India-US trade negotiations, stating that tariffs will “work out well” between New Delhi and Washington, DC.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of US attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, on Friday (local time), Trump emphasized his positive relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “very smart man” and a “great friend.”
“Prime Minister Modi was here just recently, and we’ve always been very good friends,” Trump remarked.
Acknowledging India’s tariff policies, he noted, “India is one of the highest tariffing nations in the world… They’re very smart. He (PM Modi) is a very smart man and a great friend of mine. We had very good talks. I think it’s going to work out very well between India and our country. And I want to say you have a great prime minister.”
New Tariff Policy for Imported Vehicles
Earlier this week, Trump announced a significant policy shift from the Oval Office, unveiling a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles entering the US.
He described this move as “very exciting” for domestic manufacturing.
The tariffs, set to take effect on April 2, will impact nearly half of all vehicles sold in the US, including American brands assembled overseas.
The policy aims to push automakers to expand production within the country, strengthening the domestic industry.
Push for Reciprocal Tariffs
Trump has long criticized India’s tariff policies, stating that the country imposes some of the highest tariffs in the world.
In February, he reiterated his stance on implementing reciprocal tariffs on nations like India and China, emphasizing that the US should charge the same tariffs imposed by these countries on American goods.
“We will soon impose reciprocal tariffs—they charge us, we charge them. Whatever a company or a country, such as India or China, charges, we want to be fair; hence, reciprocal,” he stated.
He further mentioned that such measures had been planned earlier but were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically targeting India’s auto tariffs, Trump pointed out, “India charges us auto tariffs higher than 100 per cent.”
While addressing a joint session of the US Congress, Trump reaffirmed that the new reciprocal tax would take effect on April 2.
He declared that the US had been “ripped off for decades by nearly every country on earth” and vowed to prevent such practices in the future.
Additionally, Trump highlighted tariffs imposed by the European Union, China, Brazil, and Mexico, stating that the US would take action against any nation imposing unfair trade policies on American goods.
His firm stance on trade policy signals a push for more balanced economic relationships between the US and its global trading partners.
(With Inputs from ANI)
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